Monday, November 10, 2008

In an interview on CNN prior to the election, Patrick Sammon of the Log Cabin Republicans makes a strong point that I agree with about working within the system:

"It's important to work from inside the party to make it better, because ultimately gay rights will be impossible to achieve unless there is support from both republicans and democrats"

Granted this blog proudly supported and is enthusiastic about the Obama win but in fairness to the spirit of our LGBT brothers and sisters who are trying to create reform and change for our lives in the republican party I think it is equally important for us to support their efforts to create change within the GOP.

10 comments:

Well, anonymous, I do believe fellow equality driven Mormons can help shift the view within the Mormon movement. Look most religions have been anti-gay but you see reform/liberal congregations in christianity, judaism, etc that now accept gay marriage and ordination of lgbt clergy.

If an organization such as the LCR supposedly supports LGBT issues like defeating Prop 8 and repealing DADT, then how do they expect to garner any respect from the LGBT community by supporting candidates who are expressly and blatantly opposed to these things? From the presidential ticket on down, the Republican candidates almost to a person have publicly stated their opposition to maintaining DADT, supporting Prop 8 and other discriminatory measures in AZ, FL, and AR (and that's just this year - there is a whole roster of states that have passed discriminatory measures in the past with full support of the Republican party).I understand trying to work for change from within, but this seems self defeatist when the party you're trying to change has so publicly, and for so long, espoused positions completely antithetical to the LGBT movement.

Marc I am a true progressive, so I cannot speak for LCR. I can say though that there are some more moderate republicans who they have endorsed who are semk-supportive of gay rights issues. Susan Collins, Chris Shays, Arnold Schwarzenegger, are a few more moderate republicans who aren't too keen on "social values" component.

Granted, I may have over-generalized on the Republican opposition to LGBT issues, but from the non-inclusive party platform adopted at this years GOP convention through the statements of many of their candidates, from McCain/Palin on down the tickets, they have shown that overall the Republican party is not a friend to our movement. Is the best way to proceed to continue LCR-type efforts to change from within, or is it more effective to continue working to reduce the power available to the GOP by ensuring their defeat at the polls, rendering their political strength mute?

Well Marc I think the majority of the gay community would agree with the latter statement. Personally, I only vote progressive because that is my ideology. That being said, I think republicans need to elect more queer-friendly candidates in hopes of one day altering the party platform. The GOP is always behind on these issues, and I believe one day they too will be arguing for equal rights in order to win elections. Won't that be a nice day?

Well we do know whose side they are on, they are gay and for the GOP. So it shouldn't be a surprise, just like some progressive would be like "how the hell can you be a gay republican?" the language is equally as targeted.

Patrick Sammon has been really influential and great in the fight against prop 8.